The 7 Germiest Spots at the Gym

You're there to get healthy, but beware these places that will make you sick.

You've resolved to work out faithfully this year, and you got a gym membership to stay motivated. What you may not have bargained for: The risk of respiratory, gastrointestinal, and skin infection-causing germs. No, that's not an excuse to be a couch potato. "Despite the fact that infections can be transmitted in gyms, they are generally places where people get more healthy," says Teresa Hauguel, Ph.D., program officer in NIAID's Influenza, SARS, and Related Viral Respiratory Diseases Section. "Most people have healthy immune protections and do fine."

But you do need to take some precautions. Here are common places germs lurk — and how to stay healthy.

1. Dumbbells and other free weights“The biggest risk in gyms is all of the 'common touch surfaces' — things we touch with our hands,” says Elizabeth Scott, Ph.D, co-director of the Simmons Center for Hygiene and Health in Home and Community. Hand weights and barbells are among the most handled items in a health club, and are likely carriers of everything from the common cold to influenza to gastrointestinal infections. Your best defense: “Carry a pack of surface sanitizing wipes and wipe as you go from one piece of equipment to the next,” Scott says.

2. Cardio equipmentThe handles and buttons on treadmills, ellipticals, and other cardio machines can be just as problematic as the barbells. Wipe down the "touch surfaces" before you use them. (Personal trainers recommend not holding on in most cases anyway — you’ll get a better workout.) Don’t use your hands to whisk sweat from your face, either; this offers bugs a beeline into your system, says Hauguel. Blot with a towel instead.

3. Shower and locker room floorsThe second most common infection you can get at the gym — after the common cold — is Athlete's Foot, a fungus that thrives on damp floors. Don’t go barefoot anywhere in the gym (even the yoga studio). In locker rooms, wear shower sandals, and dry your feet well before putting on your clean socks and dry shoes. Also, rinse and dry your flip-flops thoroughly before stashing them in a plastic bag inside your gym bag.

4. The matsMats are a favorite hangout of skin infections like ringworm, says Scott, as well as respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses. She recommends that you bring your own, and clean it often with sanitizing wipes or sprays, again paying close attention to the instructions on your cleanser. In a pinch, placing a towel between you and the mat can help.

5. Shared towelsMRSA, or methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, causes a nasty, hard-to-treat skin infection. The most likely culprit for transmitting this infection at the gym is via shared towels. It’s smart to bring your own clean towel with you, but if you use the ones at the gym, be sure you don’t mix up yours with anyone else’s. Keep any cuts or scrapes well-covered (MRSA invades through wounds) and shower thoroughly post-workout.

6. The water fountain“Wet areas are among the most contaminated,” says Scott. Take care not to let your lips — or your bottle — touch the water fountain’s spout, and don’t wipe your mouth with your hand after sipping. And if you do use a water bottle, clean it every day.

7. Your gym bagThe last thing you want, aside from actually getting sick, is to take all those germs home with you. “Pathogens can be carried on clothing,” says Scott. “It’s a good idea to put clothes and shoes in a plastic bag inside your gym bag.” Wash clothes and towels on a high-temp wash cycle — and don’t re-wear the dirty ones for your next workout. Wash the bag itself regularly, too, or at least spritz it down with a sanitizing spray. And if you feel under the weather, do everyone else a favor and don’t go to the gym until you’re healthy.

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